WEBVTT 11 NEWS' ANDRE HEPKINS JOINS USIN THE STUDIO WITH LATE-BREAKINGDETAILS.ANDRE?ANDRE: BALTIMORE IS AMONG FOURCITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY THATRECEIVED LETTERS FROM THEATTORNEY GENERAL OF THE UNITEDSTATES THAT ESSENTIALLY WARNEDTHEM THIS: EITHER HELP FEDERALIMMIGRATION AUTHORITIES CRACKDOWN ON ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS, ORLOSE THE FEDERAL MONEY YOU NEEDTO FIGHT CRIME.U.S ATTORNEY GENERAL JEFFSESSIONS SENT LETTERS TO CITIESSTRUGGLING WITH VIOLENT CRIME,WARNING THEM THEY WON'T ABLE TOCAPITALIZE ON THE NEW PUBLICSAFETY PARTNERSHIP, A PROGRAMDESIGNED TO HELP CITIES FIGHTGUN AND GANG VIOLENCE, UNLESSTHEY HELP GIVE THE FEDERALGOVERNMENT ACCESS TO ILLEGALIMMIGRANTS ARRESTED FOR VIOLENTCRIMES.THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE WANTSTHE BALTIMORE POLICE DEPARTMENTTO ALLOW UNLIMITEDCOMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN POLICEAND FEDERAL IMMIGRATIONOFFICIALS, GRANT AGENTS ACCESSTO JAILS SO AGENTS CAN QUESTIONIMMIGRANTS SUSPECTED OF CRIMES,AND GIVE THE FEDS 48 HOURSNOTICE BEFORE POLICE RELEASE ANUNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANT FROMJAIL. BUT BALTIMORE'S MAYOR HAS HEROWN MESSAGE FOR THE AGMAYOR PUGH: OBVIOUSLY, HE DONOT UNDERSTAND WHO CONTROLSIMMIGRATION IN OUR CITY.WE DO NOT EVEN CONTROL THEJAILS.THAT IS A STATE ISSUE.PERHAPS HE WILL GET MOREINFORMATION ON HOW THINGS AREPROCESSED IN THE STATE OFMARYLAND, ESPECIALLY INBALTIMORE CITY."BY TAKING SIMPLE, COMMON-SENSECONSIDERATIONS INTO ACCOUNT, WEARE ENCOURAGING EVERYJURISDICTION IN THIS COUNTRY TOCOOPERATE WITH FEDERAL LENFORCEMENT THAT WILL ULTIMATELYMAKE ALL OF US SAFER, ESPECIALLYLAW ENFORCEMENT ON OUR STREETS."BALTIMORE POLICE COMMISSIONERKEVIN DAVIS RELEASED A LENGTHYRESPONSE TO ALL OF THIS VIATWITTER, BUT REITERATEDSOMETHING HE HAS SAID BEFORE.AND THAT IS, "BALTIMORE IS AWELCOMING CITY.WE DO NOT ENFORCE FEDERALIMMIGRATION LAWS, BUT WE DOHONOR CRIMINAL ARREST WARRANTSOBTAINED BY FEDERAL LAW

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The attorney general essentially warned city leaders to either help federal immigration authorities crack down on illegal immigrants or lose federal funding needed to fight crime.

The Public Safety Partnership program is designed to help cities fight gun and gang violence. But that program is in jeopardy unless cities help give the federal government access to illegal immigrants who are arrested for violent crimes.

The U.S. Department of Justice wants the Baltimore Police Department to allow unlimited communications between police and federal immigration officials, grant agents access to jails so agents can question immigrants suspected of crimes, and give federal officials 48 hours' notice before police release an undocumented immigrant from jail.

A portion of the attorney general's letter read, "By taking simple, common-sense considerations into account, we are encouraging every jurisdiction in this country to cooperate with federal law enforcement. That will ultimately make all of us safer, especially law enforcement on our streets."

Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh had her own message for the attorney general, saying, "Obviously, he does not understand who controls immigration in our city. As you all well know, we don't even control the jails here. That's a state issue. So perhaps he'll get some more information and learn how the process takes place in the state of Maryland, especially in Baltimore City."